larus, Belgium,
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

** Rio Group (RG) **

note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established in December 1986;
composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

** Second World **

another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR
and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies
based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally
planned economies

** socialist countries **

in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of
the major factors of production;

note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for communist
countries

** South **

a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally
located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North;
see less developed countries (LDCs)

** South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) **

established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka

** South Pacific Forum (SPF) **

note - see Pacific Island Forum

** South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement **

(Sparteca)

established - NA 1981